Governing mechanism for turbines.



No.'881,869. PATENTBD MAIL-10, 1908.

R. H. RICE. GOVERNING MECHANISM FOR TURBINES.-

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1905.

5 BHEEIs-SHEET '1.

Fig. I.

Wuhnesses: v I nvenbor,

No. 881,869. PATENTED MAR. 10, 71908.

' R. RICE.

'GOVERNI-NG MECHANISM FOR TURBINES.

APPLI OATION FILED JUNE 7, 1905.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. 5 M MI-T -28? vmimL "ugmwmmmml W iunesses'. Inventor;

,{ f. M Richard -H. Rice,

PATIENTED MAR. 10, 1908.

R. H. RICE. GOVERNING MECHANISM FOR TURBINBS.

7 APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7 1906.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WiL'hesses 8 PATENTED MAR; 10, 1908.

I R. H. RICE. GOVERNING MECHANISM FOR TURBINBS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE V. 1905.

5 SHEBTS-SHEET 4.

Inventor; Richard +4. Rice,

lulu! WWW No. 881,869. PATENTED MAR. 10, 1908.

- R. H. RICE.

GOVERNING MECHANISM FOR TURBINES.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 7. 1906.

5 BHEETB-SHEET 6.

I nventQor;

Richard 'H. Rice.

menial) 11.1mm, or LYN n, CORPORATION MASSnCHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR To GENERALELECTRIC COMPANY,

OF NEW YORK.

i z i covnlinme macrmmsrr For. mamas.

. No. ear-,sce.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented larch 10, 1908.

Application filed June v, 1905. se -mm. zpeosa.

. To, all: whom-it may concern:

q-Be'itknown that I, RICHARD H. RIcE, a citizenof the-United 'States,residing at Lynn, countyof Essex, State of Massachusetts, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Governing Mechanism for Turbines,of whichthe following is a speci- -fication. The present inventionrelatesto overning w'meehanism for prime moversysuc for example, aselastic flmd turbines or other motors. Its objectis to rovide agovemechanism of-improve construction whic operateito entirely shut off thesupply \mder-emergencyconditions, as when a crit Icalspeed o rotation isreached.

For an understandin of the invention, attention is directedto t efollowing descripqtion and to the claims appended hereto. .20 In the'accompanying .drawings which illustrate one emgdiment of the invention,"Figure-1; is -a partial side elevation of an elastic fluid turbineshowing the governing 1 mechanism'applied thereto; Fig. 2 1s a trans-.zs verse section through the governing mech- Fanismonline-2+2, 3,looking in the dil'ectiouindicatedbythe arrows; Fig. 3 'isa verticallongitudinal section through the emergency valve, the regulating valve,the governorandpartially through the turbine; Fig; 4 is a side elevationof the emergency valve steam chest showing the hand wheel on resettingthe valve; Fig. 5'is 4 sectionfthidughhthe valv'e chest on line Figl 3;is atransverse section of ""the 'upp er portion lob-theregulating valveichest; '7 is a section on line 7 7, Fig. 5, looking in the directionindicated by the snowy-Fig.8 is a perspective view of the emergencyvalve andv its spindle as assemb ed and showing the lost-motion devicewhich permits the valve to close suddenly; Fig. 9 is a diagram of theparts of thelostmotiondevice; and Fig.- is a detail view 3ofgtheregulat' valve. *Referrmgto" t e drawings, 1 represents the casingof the turbine inclosing a bucket wheel 2 wh1chiis mounted on a shaft 3,Fig.3. ,On theperiphery of therwheel isarranged ,;5 0 qone'ormorerrowsof buckets 4 against which of buckets.

"motive-fluid is directed. When more-fthan one row obwhelbuckets areemployed, as in thepresen't instance, intermediate buckets i =5 are 1arranged between the rows, extending partially or entirely around thewheel an which may be movable or stationary as desired, their functionbeing to change the direction of flow of the motive fluid-as it passesfrom a receding to a succeeding row The buckets receive steam or otherelastic fluid from suitable discharge devices, suchas nozzles or nozzlesections, ar-

ranged adjacent the periphery of the wheel in t e plate 6 or othersupport. These nozzles may be expanding or non-expanding,

as preferred. e motive fluid asses from -the buckets into an exhaust conuit 7 whichmay connect with another set of nozzles and I buckets if theturbine be ofthe multi-stage type, or with a condenser, or the"atmosphere. On the shaft 3, or the hubs 8 of the wheel are 'packings 9for preventing the escape of fluid from the casing Secured to the end ofthe shaft 3 in any suitable manner is ajframe 10, Figs. 2 and 3, whichcarries the we: hts 1 1 of the governor, the weights being omitted inthe latter figure for convenience of illustration. The weights areadapted to act against the weighted and yielding abutment as is usual ingovernors and to impart lon 'tudinal motion to a stem 12 arranged axiayin line with the shaft 3. The movement of the stem 12 is transmittedthrough a bell-crank lever 13, to the stem 14 of the regulatingttvalve15. The bell-crank lever is preferaegy "a single piece and is. mountedin a governor casing 16 with its vertical arm extending transversely ofthe stem 12 and its horizontal arm extending over the governor towardthe turbine casing and connected at its extremity to the valve stem. Thepiv0t 17 'of the lever is located at its elbow so that the oscillations,due to.

the action of the governor, are converted into vertical reciprocation ofthe valve stem. In order to afford the. necessary flexibilit between thegovernor and the lever, a-ba and-socket joint 18 is provided between thestem 12 and the lever, the joint also detachably connecting them.. Theextremity of the horizontal arm'of the lever is formed with arallel jaws19,, in which are freely movalile trunnions- 20 carried at the lower endof the valve stem. The head which carries the trunnions is removable.

Arranged above the governor in overhanging relation thereto is aregulating'valve chest 21 and an emergency valve chest 22 containing anemergeneyj valve 23. :The" chests are preferably made separate and 11060 moisture.

bolted together, the regulating valve chest in turn being bolted to theturbine casing adjacent the periphery thereof and at the nozzles. Topermit access to the interior,

5 each chest is provided with a removable cover 24. The lower portion ofthe regulating valve chest is expanded into a shell or enlargement, 25,Fig. 3, to form a top or cover for the governor casing. Su ported onthis portion of the casing is an oil cu 26 arranged in line with thevertical arm 0 the bell-crank lever 13. This arm is hollow and isprovided with a mouth 27 at its upper end into which lubricant is fedfrom the cup.

The arm contains cotton waste .or other suitable absorbent 'which servesto keep the ball-and-socket joint 18 properly lubricated. Sufiicientlubricant creeps out from the joint to the adjacent parts of thegovernor to lubri- 20 cate them. y The regulating valve is of thebalancedtype. It comprises a sleeve formed with an annular flange 28 atitslower end which serves as one valve disk, and a collar 29 fittedaround the sleeve and resting on its shoulder 30 serves as the othervalve disk, the flange and the collar both having the same area exposedto the motive fluid onthe inlet side. The collar 29 is secured in place30 on its shoulder by a cap 31 which screws on the exteriorly threadedupper end of the sleeve. The valve stem 14 extends through the hollow ofthe sleeve and at its upper end is-provided with a shouldered portion32,

which maybe a removable collar, and en' gages in the counter bore of thesleeve at its upper end. This shoulder 32 and the cap 31 cooperate toprevent endwise movement of the valve on its stem. The cap 31 is pro-4.0 vided with a transversely extending slot 33,

'Fig. 3, having overhanging jaws which engage andhold the guide stem 34.The parts can be disengaged by-a sidewise movement. The seat for thevalve comprises a member .45 U-shaped in cross-section, which issupported in a shouldered recess or depression 35 in one of the adjacentsurfaces of the two valve chests and is held in the depression by thebolts that secure the chests.

, for regrinding or other purposes. The stems 14 and 34 of the valve areprovided with a number of annular grooves which serve to collect themoisture escaping from the valve 5-5 chest, and form hydraulic ackings.To

- lubricate the stems, lubricant is fed to small annular assages orchambers 36 in the walls surrounding the stems, and lubricant feedstherefrom along the stem with the escaping As shown inFigs'. 2 and 6,the

l annular chambers 36 are supplied from all cups 37 arranged on thecover of the regulating valve chest One cup supplies lubricant throughthe conduit .38 to the chamber around the guide stem 34 and the othercup i By this ar- 50 rangement the seat can be readily removed T Theemergency valve chest communicates with the regulating valve chestthrough a port 41, and the inlet end of the port is finished to form aseat 42 for the emergency valve. Fig. 3. The valve is of the swingingtype loosely mounted on a horizontal spindle -13 located above the seatso that the valve has a tendency to close under the action of gravity. Acertain amount of play is provided between 5 the valve and its spindleso as to insure proper seating. The va ve is adapted to be held open byan oscillating latch or lock 44. which when released, permits the valveto close. The latch is mounted within the chest and rocks with a shaft45 suitably journaled in the walls of the chest. The spindle 43 extendsexterior to the valve chest and carries a hand wheel 46 by which thevalve can be reset. The hand wheel is made with smooth 5 finishedsurfaces so that it cannot be fastened in a position to hold the valveopen. This reduces the liability of accidents due to a carelessattendant. In order to enable the lock to be raised to its'set or normalposition simply by the turning of the hand wheel. a projection or finger47 is formed on the lock and disposed in the path of movement of thevalve so that when the latter is raisedfmotion is imparted to the lockby reason of the valve wiping against the projection. thus throwing thelock under the lip S of the valve. Figs. 3 and S. In order to permit thevalve to fall suddenly, and without the hand wheel and spindle beingcarried with it, a lostmotion device 49. Figs. 5 and S, is provided.

.This comprises overla ping'lugs or projections 50 and 51 forme(respectively, on the hub of the valve and on a collar keyed to the valvespindle. Either or both of these projections are 1655 than one hundredand eighty degrees, measured on the arcs a and b, Fig. 9, thus leaving asector-shaped space 52 between surfaces 53 through which the lug 51 iscapable of moving'during the closing of the valvewithout engaging withthe other lug. hen it is desired to open the valve, the hand wheel andspindleare turned in the direction indicated by the arrow, Figs. 4, 8and 9, which causes the projection 50 to move toward and engage with theprojection 51 at the surfaces 53, and by continued movement raise thevalve. In order that the projection 50 may automatically disengage andreturn to its normal position, a spring 54 is set or energized position.

senses 3 arranged at or near the hand wheel, one end being anchored'at55- and the free end attached' to the hand'wheel or spindle. During theopening movement of the valve, the 'springisplaced under stress so thatas soon as the'operat'or releases the hand wheel, the projections 50 and51 disengage and thus ermit the valve to fall freely when the latch.

is released. A suitable packing is-provided around the valve spindle, asshown in Fig. 5, to revent'leakage from the chest.

e device for relea' ing the lock or latch under abnormal or e ergencyconditions comprises the following; On the shaft at a point exteriortothe casing is an arm or crank56, Figs. 1, 2: and 5, which is actuated bya suddenly-acting-weighted member, that preferably takes the form of alongitudinal movable rod or actuator 57, Figsl and 2, This rodisactuatedby a spiral contractile ent) which is secured suitable anchor 59 fixedto the governor catsing. "Atthevlower end or at any other suitableposition,fa. trigger 60 is arranged which is adapted to hold the rod oractuator in its The trigger is provided with afnose 61 which engagesunder a notch 62 in'ithe rod or actuator so as to hold the latter insetposition. The trigger is also rovided" with an arm 63jwhichextendsthroug the wall of the governor casing from a point without to apoint within where it lies. in vthe path of one 'or morecentrifugallyactingsprings or-other device 64, Figs. 2 and 3,-which aremounted on the governor frame 1'0. 1 The free ends of the springs areada ted. -tobe deflected outwardly at excessively i'gh speeds'to-strikethe inner end of the 63,

imparting thereby to the trigger a motion which releases the nose 61from the notch 62. This permits the rod 57 to operate under theinfluence ofthe spring 58 and rock the thepat-hof thecentrifugally-acting springs shaft45 through-the crank or arm-56. Themotion imparted to the arm 56 by the actuator in the nature of; a hammerblow, thereb suddenly releasing the lock or latch 44 an causing-theprojection 47 thereof to impart 'a hammerzb'low directly to. the valveand insuring 'its sudden closure. Around 64 is a stationary ring 65which acts as a damper to prevent undue vibration of the springs afterthey have struck and released t etrigger;

The trigger is provided with a spring 66,-

Fig; 2, which is capable of resetting it during the operation ofresetting the emergency valve, and this. without attention on the part0f thefoperatori'mThe spring is made of a flat=strip;and looped,-one endbeing anchored on an-e'xtension or portion 67 of the governor casin andthe free end is secured to the arm 63 o the trigger.- The fixed end ofthe portant feature 0 nection between the actuator and the crank I isthat it permits the actuator to move a slight the position indicated bydotted lines by the rod ltself. In this position the trigger spring 66is flexed so that the tri ger will automatically return to its normaposition vwhen the rod or actuator is raised to its normal positionby'the setting of the emergency valve. I 1.;

Referring to Fig. '3, the emergency valve and the latch are shown intheir set oroperative position by full linesyintheir released or closedposition by dotted lines, and in their entr'eme position, assumed duringthe setting of the valve, by the dot-and-dash lines, these beingreferred to as first, second and third'positions, respectively. To openthe valve, thelvalve and latch are moved from the second to the thirdposition by means of the hand wheel. The raising of the emergency valveactuates the lock orlatch, causing in turn the crank or arm 56 keyed tothe lock or latch shaft 45, to be raised atits-f outer end. Thisraises'the actuator or-rod and permits the trigger to reset. It will beobserved that in order-to permit the 'latch to fall back from the thirdto the first position, a lost-motion must be'provided between the crankor arm and the actuator or rod 57.

'For this purpose the upper end of the actuator is slotted and the pin69 connecting the .crank or arm to the actuator is arranged to freelymove in the Slot... By reason of this lost-motion, the lock will fall assoon as the operator releases the pressure on the hand wheel and come torest in its first position so as to engage under the lip 48- of thevalve. When the parts are in the normal or first position, the pivot 69is at the bottom of the slot, as shown in Fi s. l and 2. Anotherimthislost-motion con-- distance or get underway before it iniparts motion tothe arm and thereby produces' a hammer ,blow effect.

valve ,to receive the impact from the projection 47 on the lock,- andalso to obtain the proper relation between the valve and lock. By reasonof this arrangement the lostmotionwhicli has to be taken up in resettingthe valve is small. a

Any moisture that passes from'the emergency valve chest along the shaft45 is collected in an annular chamber 71, Fig. 5, from A web .orabutment 70, Figs. 3 and 8, is formed on the emergency wall.

"ft-he upper seat is e ual but opposite to the .spa" oe b-et\"veen thevalve and its seat into the videdwi'th ports shaped to correspond to thebeveled ortions of parts 28 and 29. The 15 1 the contiguous surfaces 3with which engage,

4 respectively, the bevel and top of the disk pinge against the valveseat which is station- &

which it drains through the e 72v to the chamber at the lower end oi tlie regulating valve stem and thence to the turbine casing.

The regulating valve 15 is so constructed that a suitable throttlingaction is secured and the impact-and reactive effects of the conditlonof the valve when it .is open. In 10-, the valve, which is oft-he doublepuppet type,is shown. The disk ortions 28 an 29 are circumferentiallybeve edand the seat-containing wall or diaphragm 73 is proseats areormed by the conical surfaces 8 and ortions.- The throttling action isdue to the eveled portions of the disks and-the correspondin portions ofthe seat containing 'fhus when the horizontal surfaces of the seats andthe corres onding surfaces of thedisks are separated y a given distance,thewidth of the annular flow space between the beveled surfaces will bebutsiibstantially one half of that distance. Whenjclosed the pressuretending to press the valve against ressurewhich ten s by its action uponthe isk 28 to move the valve away from its lower seat. When open,.ste'am flowing from the annular region A impin es on the horizontalsurface of the lower valve disk tending to move it downward. Similarlysteam issuing from the annular region B passing over the surfaces s ands and flowing upward impinges on the annular surface of the flange 74,formed on the cap 31 for this urpose, and balances the action justdescribed. Hence the balanced condition of the valve is not disturbed bythe impact of the flowing steam when it is moved from its balancedclosed 0- sition to its open position. Steam flowmg from the region Bover-the surface s will imary. issuing at high velocity from the regionoflower velocity in the chest, the

steam will also react against the surface of i the valve-chest.

the seat butnot against the valve. The same remarks apply to the steamissuing in thef othei direction'from the region A and flowing'in'to theregion of lower velocity in With 'the governing mechanism as de scribed,the normal load changes are taken care of by the regulating valve, whichwith variations in speed, has a slight reciprocating I or to-and-fromovement whereby the admis sion off-motive fluid to the turbine nozzlesis .increased with decreasing speed of the turbine and decreased withincreasing speed. 3 1

If for any reason the speedof rotation should become excessive, theemergency governor is 1 gency valve and cuttingoif the entire supply tothe turbine.

While a turbine; of the well-known Curtis type has been described, it isobviously within the scope of my invention to employ any other type ofturbine, whether the same be an axial or radial flow, or a combinationof both.

The regulating valve mechanism and the arrangementof the valve chests,governor and its casing, are not claimed herein because they form thesubjects matter of my divisional applications, Serial No. 349,243, filedDecember 24, 1906 and Serial No. 377,137 filed June 4, 1907, in responseto require ments for division made by the United States Patent Ofiic'eunder the provisions of Rules WhatI claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States is,

1. In a governing mechanism, the combination of a quick closingemergency valve pivoted to have a swinging movement, means for releasingthe same from its set position which includes a weighted member, atrigger arranged to interlock with the said member when the valve isset, and a speed-responsive device arranged and adapted to strike andrelease the trigger to permit the member to act.

'2. In a governing mechanism, the combination of a valve, :1 singlemember arranged to hold the valve in one position under norblow directlyto the valve.

4. In a governing mechanism, the combination of an emergency valve, alock which engages the valve to hold it open, a projection on the lockwhich is normally separated from the valve by a clearance suihcient topermit the lock to be disengaged and impart a hammer blow theretosubstantially simultaneously with the release of the lock, and aspeed-responsive device for actuating the ock.

In a governing mechanism, the combination of a valve chest, an emergencyvalve "therein, a iloch within the chest which engages the valve to holdit open, an arm exterior-to the chest for disengaging the lock from thevalve to permit the latter to close,

" and a means for imparting a hammer blow to gages the .valvefto hold itopen, an arm ex-.

terior to the chest for disengaging the look from, the valve to permitthe latter to close, and a weighted memberoconnected with the armthrough a lost-motion'for imparting a liammerfblow thereto.

7". In a governing mechanism, the combination of-a valvejc est, an-emergenc valve therein, a; look within the chest for olding the valveingio'pen position, a projection on the lock which is disposedon theside thereof opposite to that engaged by the valve, and

means for releasing the lock and causing the projection to assist inclosin the valve.

7 8. In a governing mechanism, the combiion of a valve chest,anemergency valve rein, a lock arranged to engage the valve d hold itopen, an arm foractuating the k to release the valve, a weighted membern connection between the arm and said member, and a trigger device foractuating the said member.

In a governmfi' mechanism the combive c "nation of a val est, an emerency valve therein, a lock for holding the va ve open, an arm for movingthe lock to release the valve, a longitudinally movable actuator foroper-' ating the arni, means for weight' or energizing the actuator, atrigger whic enga es the actuator and holds itenergized, an aspeed-responsive device which acts upon the trigger to release theactuator.

10. In a governinginech'anism,'the combination of avvalve chest, an emer'ency valve therein, a lock for holding the v ve open, an arm for movingthe lock to'release the valve, a longitudinally movable actuator foroperating-the arm, a lost-motion connection between the actuator andfthearm, a s ring for '51),

{-na'sing therefor, and a t into the casing in operative relation to thethe actuator, a speed-responsive evice, a er which'extendsspeed-responsive device 'and'is adapted to hold the actuator under thetension of the spring and release it when the speed-responsive eviceoperates.

11. In a governing mechanism, the combination of an emergency valve,means formoving the valve, a rod for actuating said means, a springforoperating the rod, a

speed-res onsive device, a casi therefor, a trigger a apted to beoperated y said device which. is arranged part1 within and partlywithout thecasing, an an interlock- .lock an ich imparts motion tothearm, a lost-mo-.

of the spring and releasesit when the trigger.

is acted upon by the speed-responsive device.

12. In a govermng mechamsm, the combination of an emergency'valve, alock for holding the valve open, a we' hted member for actuating thelatch tore ease thevalve, a

self-setting triggerwhich holds. the said membet in energize positionand when'actuated disengages it, and ficmeansfor resettingthe permit thetrigger to reset. ,w

13. In a governin'gf mechanism, the combi: nation of anemergency, valve,a locking device which holds. the .va ve open, a self-setting triggerwhich actuates the 'lockin device, an means for sett' the valve w ichacts through the latter an the locking device to permit the triggertoautomatically reset.

14. In a governing mechanism, the combi nation of an emergenc valve, alocking device which holds the va ve in a predetermined position, atrigger for controlhng the locking device, a s ring which retracts thetrigger, and a ban operated means for settin" the valve which alsoimparts motion to the ock-' ing device to permit the trigger to resetunder the action of its spring.

15, In a governing mechanism, the combination of an emergency valve, alock for holding the valve open, a means for releasingthe lock-which incudes a self-settin trig er, a means on the lock which causes t e va veas it opens to reset the lock and to permit the trigger'to reset, and amanually operated means for opening the valve.

1-6. In a governing mechanism, the combi-' nation of a valve, a lockhaving one portion which engages the valve to hold it open and anotherportion which engages the valve when the latter opens and receivesmotion therefrom, means for actuatingl the lock to release the valve,said means inc uding a suddenly-acting-releasing device, and a handoperated means whichopens-thevalve and acts throu h the latter to setthe lock and also the refiaasing device. 7 p

17; In a governing mechanism, the combination of a valve, a lock havingone portion which engages the valve to hol another portion which engagesthe valve valve .which'actuates the" member to it open and when thelatter opens and receives motion I therefrom, means for actuating thelock to release the valve, said means including asuddenly-acting-releasing device, a hand operated means which opens thevalve and acts through the latter to set the lock and also the re easingdevice, and a lost-motion connection between the hand operated means andthe valve which permits the latter to close independentlyof said means.

18. In a governing mechanism, the combination of a valve, a lock whichholds the valve open and is adapted to be reset by the valve, during itsopening movement to act through means for actuating thelock toreleasethe the lock and the said member for setting the valve, said meansincluding asuddenly-acttrigger device and for permitting the lock toing-releasing device, ahand wheel for open- I engage with the valveafter-the trigger is set. ing thevalve, a lost-motion; connection be-20. 'In an elastic fluid motor, the combinatween the hand wheel and thevalve which ,tion of a revolving element, a casing therepermits thelatter to close independently of 1 for, a shut-off valve, a speed-resonsive dethe hand wheel, anda spring which normally vice for controllingthe action 0 the valve,

- maintains the lost-motion connection bei and a hand wheel locatedoutside of the castween the valve and hand Wheel o en.

19. In a governing mechanism, t e combil tripped by the speed-responsivedevice, the

nation of a valve, a lock for holding the valve I said wheel beingprovided with smooth suropen, a projection on the lock which is ar-.faces so that it cannot be fastened in a given ranged to cause thelatter'to be set by the j position.

valve-during the opening thereof. an arm In Witness whereof, I havehereuntoset RICHARD H: RICE.

connected with the lock for operating it, a l my hand this twentv-fifthday of May, 1905.

we' hted member for operating the arm, a trigger device controlling thesaid member, 1 and a lost-motion connection between the arm and themember which permits the valve v Witnesses:

JOHN A. MclLtxts, Jr.,

HEXRY O. WEsrnxnm ing for resetting the valve after it has been

